THE remains of the Cannington Shaw bottling shop has, as many regular Coffey Time readers will probably know, been declared both an ancient monument and a historic treasure at risk.

English Heritage and other organisations want to get involved in saving it, but only if there is a local team of volunteers willing to back them up and form a proper organisation.

This would be similar to how the Friends of the Theatre Royal, or Friends of Sutton Park, or the Sankey Canal Restoration Society have operated.

I cannot get heavily involved anymore due to my existing voluntary commitments.

We need people to get involved in creating a business plan that will allow the building in future to attract heritage investment, tourists, and create jobs, maybe for the volunteers already involved.

One suggestion is a 'Museum of St Helens Life', providing a home for many othemed private collections that may face dissolution when their collector has gone.

There is not just the glass industry but the coal and the railways too. Other facets such as famous local people (you should be able to name at least half a dozen worthy of a good display) could also be included.

The Laurel and Hardy Museum in Ulverston was started by Bill Cubin, who decided to display his own private collection.

Meanwhile, I'm still catching up with plenty of correspondence from readers since returning from my break.

Jagger the Yicker contacted me about a photo we carried of a white fronted ‘Stone Row’, just further on than The Huntsman.

He wrote: "The tiny cottages had about 14 in the row. If you look more closely, you can see the old fashioned supporting bars strung across the fronts and fixed to a hefty oblong plaque set above the front doors, just, would you believe, to give them more strength.

"I walked past them many a time going to the Haydock Bug. Oh happy days. Getting on a bit.”

And to keep the letters flooding in pictured right is another landmark from the past that I want readers to identify and share their memories of.

Email chrispcoffey@gmail.com or ring 01744 817130 or write to 37 Holbrook Close, St Helens, WA9 3XH.